April 27, 2006	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 28, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, April 26: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced four grants totalling more than $2.8 million under its Earthquake Transition Assistance programme.

The grants are among the more than $13 million that the US government is providing to help quake-affected people re- establish their village communities in the post-relief phase. Activities under these grants will be carried out between April and December.

Three programmes will assist tehsils and union councils in providing support for livelihoods for their local areas.

The implementing USAID partners are Concern International and the Rural Support Programme Network. Both non-governmental organisations have already been working with tehsils and union councils and will customise the livelihood programmes to meet local needs.

These new transition programmes work to re-establish an economic base in rural communities through agriculture and livestock development support.

They also provide additional economic opportunities through vocational training and micro-lending/-business development programmes.

Some of the programmes feature a voucher system, in which families are given credit for investing in different economic development programmes. Some programmes repair and improve water supply and sanitation systems.

The fourth programme, run by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) focuses on providing improved maize seed to farmers and rebuild food security in the earthquake region.

In all USAID transition programmes, assistance is provided to people in their home communities.